Committed
by Sam Pembroke
Summary: Samuel Bukater, patriarch of the Bukater household has committed suicide. The death takes a drastic toll on both Ruth and the youngest child: Elizabeth. Things will soon change, but the changes may not be so good.
1. Opening Act

COMMITTED

BY

SAM PEMBROKE

CHAPTER ONE

OPENING ACT

The morning of Friday, April 14th, 1911 dawned rather cold. A cold spell had entrenched itself firmly over the region. Awaking from a deep slumber in the master bedroom, the former admiral of the navy Samuel Alan Bukater sat up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and scanned the room. He noticed that his wife, Ruth was absent. He looked at the clock.

"_10:30, Jesus, I've slept in too late."_ He thought.

Their marriage of twenty-one years was finally beyond the point of repair. He had thought of divorcing her a long time ago, but she thought that it would damage the children.

"_The children, what annoyingly selfish prigs they are!"_ He thought. A new string of thoughts had entered his mind.

"_If Ruth hadn't gone temporarily insane when Alice died, we wouldn't have had all of these problems. I loved her, but the child nearly drove us apart. Then that Langdon woman wouldn't have had to take Emily away from us. That leaves both Rose and Elizabeth. Rose, my god; she'll never get far in life. She's the worst. She was a brat from the beginning, and I helped create her. Elizabeth, I'm sorry to say will never be able to enjoy a life of her own. That 'Autism' disorder will surely kill the girl." _

He donned his robe and made his way downstairs.

He wanted to tell his soon to be ex-wife of his newfound illness, but couldn't.

Two days ago, Wednesday, April 12th, Samuel had visited his doctor.

It was quite apparent that something was wrong. He had been experiencing pain just above his stomach and every time that he ate, it felt as though he had been shot three times through.

"I'm sorry admiral, but I'm afraid that you've got cancer. The cancer is dare I say it centered inside your pancreas; or somewhere thereabouts. You don't have much time, perhaps four months at the maximum. I'm sorry, admiral Bukater." The doctor said to him in a hushed tone.

He didn't want to tell Ruth, and especially not the children; even if they deserved it or not.

Something had to be done.

He found Ruth in the sitting room, reading.

"I thought that you'd be out." He said.

"Why? So you can bring in that Wentworth woman, and fuck her here in the house?" She said with venom.

"Why do you always insist that I had an affair with my secretary? I don't understand. You can be so goddamn stupid sometimes! Look at me!" He hissed.

Despite the urge to strike her, he never would have dreamt it. He had a code of honor that stated that men would never hit women. He balled his fists, but then released them.

The pain was ripping at him now.

"Where is the runt?" Samuel glowered.

"Don't call our daughter a runt. She's a human being." Ruth said, preparing for an all-out verbal attack.

"She's a human being all right. She still wets herself like a baby. She goes for days when she doesn't even fucking speak! How can you love such a damn feeble child? She'll never survive. No man would want her; dare even have a child with her. We should have given _her_ away instead of the only child of ours that seems level headed, and I'm telling you, it isn't Rose. Rose can just go be a hoyden, good for nothing prig." He screamed at Ruth.

"Samuel Alan Bukater! Listen to yourself! When our children were brought into the world you made a vow to love them, no matter what the circumstances. You've broken your vows in more than one way. I should have known you'd do such a thing. When Alice, our ray of light died; I think your love died with her!" Ruth shrieked.

He stormed out of the room and rushed upstairs. He slammed the door.

Once inside his room he moved over to the desk.

He was searching for the bottle he kept in the desk.

He found it and opened the bottle. He tilted the fifth and began to wildly drink it.

He didn't know that Elizabeth was watching him from inside the closet. She stood behind the slatted doors. She wanted to go out there and tell him to stop, but she couldn't. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She moved into the back of the closet and sat, her legs drawn up to her chest; if her mother had seen her doing this, she'd pull Elizabeth's skirt down to protect her modesty.

He began to scream, albeit in a slurred manner. While doing so, he ransacked the room.

"I fucking hate the world! You all can go to hell, just fucking leave me alone!"

He threw the bottle; it shattered into a million shards against the wall. The high-proof whiskey contained therein stained the white wall brown.

He moved to the desk again. He flung the drawers open. He knew it had to be in here.

He found what he was looking for.

It was a chrome plated Blodgett pistol.

He looked at it for a moment and then put it down.

Inside the closet Elizabeth was watching him play with the gun. She silently gasped and put her hand over her mouth. She could feel the sting of the tears forming.

"Papa, please don't do it. I love you, papa." She whispered to herself.

He found a scrap of paper. He took out a pen and began writing. He went at it furiously for at least fifteen minutes.

When he finished the note, he threw the pen at the window.

"Damn it! I'm only prolonging the inevitable. You all can go to hell. This world will pay for giving me cancer! Alice, I'm coming to see you!"

He shoved the pistol in his mouth.

He closed his eyes.

Finally, he pulled the trigger.

Brain matter sprayed the walls.

Elizabeth let out an ethereal shriek. A shriek Ruth had heard all the way from inside the sitting room.

She began fidgeting with the lock. Finally, she managed to exit the closet.

She shrieked again. She began to wipe the walls off with her pinafore.

The door sprang wide open.

Ruth put her hands over her mouth. Her stomach turned and she vomited.

Elizabeth couldn't look anymore. She ran over to her mother and buried her face in Ruth's chest.

Ruth couldn't let the child look at the death anymore.

She led Elizabeth to her room.

"You stay in here. I'm going to call the police. You didn't cause this. Your father's death isn't your fault. Darling please look at me." Ruth begged.

Elizabeth looked at her mother and hugged her. Ruth kissed her on the forehead.

She walked out of the room.

In a matter of seconds she was back in Samuel's former bedroom.

She found the phone and dialed the number for the police.

"My husband, Samuel Bukater has committed suicide. I'm standing in the very room he committed the act in!" She cried.

Within minutes detectives arrived at the home at 975 5th Avenue. They took Ruth aside for questioning. All Ruth could tell them was that it was Elizabeth who witnessed the tragedy.

They went to look for her.

The detectives didn't have to go far.

They found Elizabeth sitting in her camisole and bloomers on the bed.

One of the detectives cleared his throat.

She missed the social cue.

"Miss, do you mind putting on a robe; or something of the sort? Are you a prostitute?" The detective asked.

Elizabeth got up and put her robe on.

The detective began to speak.

"I'm Detective Alan Brittingham. I'd like to ask you a few questions miss." He said.

"All right, you're not going to hurt me are you?" She asked, nearly crying.

"Why on earth would we hurt a child like you?" He asked.

"Because I'm very scared; please don't hurt me. Can you get mama for me?" Elizabeth choked out.

He went to get Ruth. When she entered the room, Elizabeth seemed calmer.

"Okay, tell us all that you know." He said.

"Well, papa was drinking and he started yelling. While he was doing this, he ransacked the room. Then he got the gun and put it in his mouth. He then pulled the trigger. Please, don't punish me. Don't let mama leave. I want her here." Elizabeth sobbed.

Brittingham scanned the room.

He found the note and handed it to Ruth.

She read it.

_Dearest Ruth and children,_

_I am very sorry for not being the husband and father I could have been. I was truly selfish, and I am terribly sorry for this. Ruth, I always loved you. I may sound like a hypocrite for saying that, but I truly did. I'm proud of you for being able to raise our daughters the way you have, and to ensure that they received the best education._

_Since my retirement, I found my life to be increasingly difficult. I had no objective to look forward to. I found out I have cancer only two days ago._

_I did not wish to see you fret over my failing health. I couldn't let you see me suffer, especially not the babies._

_Alice says hello. She loves you too._

_You stay out of trouble now, all right?_

_Samuel._

Ruth began to cry. The gravity set in.

"_You stay out of trouble now, all right?"_ Ruth remembered him saying that every time he left the house to go to work, but perhaps the most memorable time he ever said it was when they first met.

Now he was gone. The children were all she had left.

_Her_ children, the human beings she had loved the most.

Ruth was snapped out of her reverie by Detective Brittingham.

"Ma'am, should we alert the press that the admiral has died and if so should we say that he committed suicide?" He asked.

Ruth shook her head no.

"Thank you ma'am, we will be back if anything comes up." He said. He tipped his hat and walked out the door.

Now Ruth and Elizabeth were alone.

The child began to cry silently.

Ruth turned away and walked up to the room that she had called hers in the recent months.

She locked the door.

Like a child, Ruth flung herself onto her bed and wept.

"_What will I do now? Emily and Rose are both in Nyack at Ravenwood. I need to do something with Elizabeth. I could send her to mother, but after what just transpired here in this house; she'd just continue to talk about it. I could send her to the hospital. If I sent her to a hospital, where would she go?"_ She thought.

She finished her cry and wiped away the tears.

Suddenly she heard the doorbell as well as a murmur outside the front door.

A maid opened the door and the tsunami of reporters pushed themselves inside.

Ruth blanched.

They seemed to push her into the sitting room, her domain.

"Mrs. Bukater! Mrs. Bukater! Can you tell us why your husband committed suicide?" One of the reporters shouted.

She shook her head.

"Mrs. Bukater! There have been whispers that your husband was having an affair. Is this true?" Another reporter shouted above the din.

"Is it true that your youngest child is feeble, and if it is, will she be institutionalized because your husband is no longer alive?" A reporter from a prominent society publication asked.

Ruth began to scream.

"Get out! All of you! Do not ever come into my house and accuse me of anything!"

The reporters left empty handed.

The phone began to ring. The ringing echoed inside Ruth's head.

She answered. It was a familiar voice.

It was Rose and she was frantic.

"Mother, what will happen to us now? The other girls are talking. Please do something!" She demanded.

Something inside Ruth's head snapped.

"You will NOT talk to me in that tone! You've been spoiled too much. Your father and I have spoiled you for years, and you're acting as though I owe you something. Rose, I owe you nothing. You've been too snobby; perhaps you need to be brought back to your senses. Emily has no problems with me, especially after the way you treat her." Ruth said with much venom.

"You say you want the best for ME. I believe you owe me the best; the best of everything. I want ALL of papa's money. You shouldn't get anything, because you're feeble; just like Elizabeth!"

Ruth then did something she had never done before. She released a stream of words that would make even the most prim and proper woman faint.

"Rose Elizabeth Bukater, I swear to god that you will be punished for the way you have talked to me. You've always been difficult. Perhaps Rose, maybe you'll marry someone who'll perhaps have all of the money in the world; then you'll be happy because money is the only thing that makes you happy. When you were a little girl, you always had to have the most pocket money. You always had to be difficult, and you always had to question your father and I. No more, you selfish greedy child. You're not a young woman; you're still just a little girl. When you were twelve and that pathetic excuse for a child named Millicent King pushed you down the stairs; it did something to you. Before the incident, you were slightly snobbish; after the incident, you became greedy and expectant. If you think that I'll visit you while you're out there, you're sadly mistaken. I will visit and buy things for Emily because she's a good girl. I wish to wash my hands of you completely." She said.

Rose hung up the phone. The telltale tone on the line gave it away.

Ruth put up the receiver.

"_My god, he hasn't even been dead two hours and already people are demanding things. Rose has the gall to act like this. I think her surroundings make her like this. She does always have to be difficult. She takes advantage of me. I hate her for it. I wish she wasn't like this, I didn't raise her to be this way."_ She thought.

The family attorney, Jacob Blodgett arrived an hour later.

It was just what Ruth needed.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Bukater. I'm deeply sorry for your loss. We have business we must attend to." He said.

"Is it bad?" Ruth asked.

"Not really." He replied.

They walked into the study.

Ruth sat down, but quickly writhed in a short burst of pain as her corset bit into her side.

"Mrs. Bukater today is a very, very good day for you and the children." He began.

"What do you mean?" She asked, curiously.

"Well, we have to talk about the assets first. It seems your husband has left quite an estate. When your husband passed on, he was worth about ten billion dollars. He had made quite a handsome amount of money over the past fifty or so years." He added.

Ruth's eyes grew large.

"First, we'll discuss what you get. The admiral left you over half of his pension, as well as half of the life insurance policy among other things, a grand total of 9 billion dollars. The children are to receive as follows: Emily Lovejoy Langdon, $116,000. Rose Elizabeth Bukater, $108,000. Finally, Elizabeth Campbell Bukater will receive $100,000. Emily, when she becomes married will receive the property on Makonikey Head in the town of Tisbury. Rose will receive the property in Milton on Randolph Avenue. Finally, Elizabeth will receive the property on Oak Street in Fall River. You will not only get to keep this house, but also the properties in Newport, Nantucket, and Hyannis." He said.

"Are there any outstanding debts that must be paid?" Ruth asked.

"Yes, there are three debts to be exact." He said.

"How much does he owe?" She asked.

"He has two large debts. The first is a debt of $2,000. This debt is owed to his father's estate. The second debt is also $2,000. This is owed to Governor Creedon. The third and final debt is $1.00. This is the adoption license fee that is owed to the state of Pittsylvania for the adoption of Emily." He replied.

The rest of the meeting was rather uneventful, at least until Elizabeth was brought into the conversation.

"Your husband requested that Elizabeth be admitted into an institution for a year, or perhaps less. He is not doing this out of hatred, but only because he cared for her. You are to call the psychiatrist over this matter. He thinks that Taunton State would make a good place for her. I have heard they have an excellent adolescent ward there. The child is now an adolescent, is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes, she is an adolescent. She turned thirteen last June. Emotionally however, Elizabeth is still very much a young girl, about age eight and a half." She replied.

"Oh my, eight and a half you say?" He added.

Ruth nodded her head; a look of hurt in her eyes.

She seemed to be embarrassed by this. She shifted her eyes towards the door.

Elizabeth was waiting outside, but walked away. Ruth saw this going on and excused herself for a brief moment.

She opened the door to the study and walked to where Elizabeth was.

"Elizabeth, whatever is the matter?" Ruth said kneeling to Elizabeth's level.

"I want to go outside to be alone. Do not send anyone to look for me." She said with a distinct whine.

"Elizabeth, if you wish to be alone; go outside in the back yard. You'll be safer there. Nobody will see you." She calmly said as she put her arms around the child.

"Elizabeth, make sure you put on your coat. It is quite cold outside."

She donned her coat and hat and went into the backyard.

Ruth went back into the study to face Mr. Blodgett once more.


	2. Preparations

CHAPTER TWO

PREPARATIONS

The admiral's funeral was to be a simple affair. Samuel had requested that his funeral be simple. Not too many people attended; perhaps Governor Creedon was the only important dignitary. Rose and the two other children sat next to their mother. Ruth silently wept as the governor eulogized the former admiral.

Something wasn't right.

To the right of the podium, lay a small glass coffin. Its occupant still looked as though she had just fallen asleep for a nap.

When Alice died, it was Samuel's idea that she be preserved in the best way as possible. The top funeral director in the nation had come all the way to Philadelphia to showcase his "masterpieces." The results of which were still apparent seventeen years after the fact.

Ruth couldn't bear to look at the deceased child, let alone her deceased husband.

She wanted to excuse herself, but she was afraid of the words that would get out.

Elizabeth could take no more.

She did the one thing that the snobbish members of society would have gasped at.

She stood up and ran out.

Ruth was outwardly mortified, but inside she let the child go.

"Somebody, stop her!" a person in the gathering shouted.

"Let her go. It's painfully obvious that she cannot bear to remain here in this mausoleum. If you were in her shoes, you'd do the same thing." Governor Creedon said in a terse manner from the podium.

Elizabeth was now outside and as luck would have it, it began to rain. She found a grove of trees that were nearby. A granite bench provided a resting place for the girl.

She wept.

"_Nothing is right anymore. Why did Papa have to kill himself? I made him do it. I know he didn't love me. He only saw me as a pest. At least mama still loves me, and she always will. I cannot go back in there. I cannot see him dead. It just won't be the same."_ She thought to herself.

Sometime later, Elizabeth felt a hand stroking her hair. The feeling startled her. She looked up.

It was Ruth.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to take any more of that wretched service. Your exit could have been a little more discreet, but I understand that you're grieving. Rose was embarrassed, but she will get over it." Ruth said.

Elizabeth hugged her mother.

Ruth motioned for Elizabeth to stand up and come along with her.

"When we get inside, I want you to go upstairs and lie down. You've had too much stimulation over the course of these two hours. Can you do this for me?" Ruth asked.

"Yes mama, I'll do anything you ask." Elizabeth said.

"That's my girl." She said as she kissed the child on the forehead.

The two walked inside. Already they both could hear Rose complaining in the background.

"My friends get to go do the things they want to do, but not me; I have to be at a boring funeral." Rose said to Emily.

Emily just shrugged her shoulders and walked off. Even _she_ had grown tired of Rose's incessant whining.

Ruth and Elizabeth walked up the staircase of Meadowmere, the Bukater family estate in the town of Farmboro. Ruth found a guestroom where she could help Elizabeth get ready to take her nap.

When she was ready to go to sleep, Ruth tucked her in and left the room.

Downstairs, the family was gathering. Ellen, Samuel's only sister struck up a conversation with Ruth.

"I knew about Elizabeth's condition before anyone else did. My son Ethan is the same way. People are afraid of him. They think that he's a monster. Tell me Ruth, do people think of your Elizabeth to be a monster?" She asked.

Ruth shook her head.

"No, people are very kind to Elizabeth. I guess where we live, people are more accepting." Ruth said.

"That may be so; you see we live in a small town north of Gregstown called Howarth. The people are so closed-minded there. People give Ethan a wide berth when he's out and about. His nurse just shoos them away. His sister Amelia tries to protect him, but the other children at school tease her. It's such a shame that these children who have this disorder can be treated so unfairly." She said.

Ruth smiled at a passerby. She didn't see who it was, until he spoke, her eyes became large.

"Ruth, I'm so sorry for the loss of Samuel. He was a good friend of mine. We'll never get another admiral like him for a long time. I know that he owes me a small sum of money. I do not want the money. You may keep it." Governor Creedon said to her in a near whisper.

She went back to talking to Ellen.

"I think he just tried to flatter you, judging by his eyes. Perhaps he wants another go around with you?" She said smiling.

Ruth laughed.

"I won't be the one to marry him. That will be up to Emily." She said.

"But Ruth, he's sixty years old. Surely you can't be serious?" She said.

"No, even though Emily is sixteen; she's been attracted to him for a long time now." Ruth replied.

"The Creedon family has deep roots and a few secrets. His father, when he was president back in the 80's wasn't exactly the man we knew in public. He would often belittle his children, even when they were fully grown." She said.

"Peter isn't like his father though, he's kind and gentle. I know from experience." She said.

Ellen knew what Ruth was referring to.

Ruth scanned the crowd for her two eldest daughters.

"Where has Rose gone off to now?" She thought.

Emily walked up to her.

"Mummy, Rose is not being very nice at this moment." She said in a very hushed tone.

Ruth shook her head.

"Emily, a certain governor is looking for you." Ruth said as she gave Emily a pat.

The eldest daughter's eyes became large with excitement.

"Oh mummy, I've wanted to talk to him for many months. Do you think he'll like me?" She asked.

Ruth nodded.

Emily ran off.

For once, she was by herself.

Outside, on the wraparound porch sat Rose.

The resentment towards her mother was growing larger by the second.

She was shifting in her seat when she heard the door open.

"There you are! Rose, is there something we need to talk about?" She asked with genuine concern.

"Mother, there's a man that has been after me for some time now." She said.

"Really, is that so?" Ruth asked quizzically.

"Yes. His last name is either Hackney or Hockley, something like that."

Ruth became pale.

"_Caledon Hockley, no, this cannot be. I remember when he was a child. He was pathetic then. Even Nathan, his father despised him. I think that he's only after the money. His father cut him off a long time ago. He'll only want to hurt Rose. I won't let this happen. Not on my watch."_ Ruth thought.

"Rose, can't you go off with another man?" Ruth asked her daughter.

"No mother, he won't let me do it. He touches me in the forbidden parts of my body." She halfheartedly said.

"What did you say Rose?" Ruth asked.

"He touches me, especially below the stomach. He likes to lift up my skirts and see what I'm wearing beneath. He's only going to find my bloomers."

This made Ruth angry, very angry.

"Rose, I suggest you stay away from him. He'll bring you only nothing but trouble." She said in a whisper.

Rose did something that she hadn't done since the last time she came home:

She smiled.

In the guestroom, Elizabeth lay in the bed. She was in a deep slumber that lasted until a clap of thunder startled her awake.

She was muzzy and groggy, but she went back to sleep.

Ruth walked in and nudged her daughter gently awake.

"What time is it mama?" Elizabeth asked muzzily.

"Darling, it's a quarter past three. You've been asleep for about two hours. Let's get you changed." Ruth said reassuringly.

"Mama, I've had an accident again." Elizabeth said in a rather feeble tone.

"_She still wets herself like a baby."_ One of the last things Samuel had ever said to her.

"Oh, so you have. I will fix this." She said.

Minutes later, Elizabeth was back in her mourning dress. Ruth tied Elizabeth's boots and then they were on their way.

Rose was still sitting on the porch when Emily came outside.

"Did you tell mummy about that man?" She asked.

"Yes Emily, I did. I don't like him; I find him to be very unnerving." Rose replied.

Emily sat down in a chair next to her sister.

The rain kept falling, but at a much slower pace.

"What did you think of him, Emily?" Rose asked.

"Who are you talking about? Governor Creedon?" Emily replied.

"No. I'm talking about papa." Rose said dryly, as with a certain amount of disdain.

"Honestly, Rose I really never got to be close to him." Emily replied, countering Rose's disdain.

"I thought of him to be overbearing. I don't think he loved me or either Elizabeth and you." Rose replied, venom now filling her words.

"I find it funny Rose, that all this time you treated me poorly." Emily said haughtily.

"I never treated you poorly Emily!" Rose cried out.

"But you did. Not only that Rose, but you treated the 'baby' as you call her with such disdain. What were you going to get out of it Rose?" Emily hissed.

Emily looked at her twin. She could only shake her head.

Inside Meadowmere, Ruth and Elizabeth were making the rounds.

The other people gave such sympathy to the child. Elizabeth, being naïve did not hear the whispers beginning to go around.

"I heard the child is feeble." One said.

"She'll never live to be sixteen, at least with the living; she'll be shut away in an institution." Another said.

Ruth could hear them, but she didn't tell Elizabeth.

"Mama, I heard those people whisper my name. What are they talking about?" She asked.

"Nothing darling, they're remarking about how well you've held up through this. They said that you're a big girl." Ruth lied.

Elizabeth was starting to show concern now.

"Mama, I want to leave." She said.

Ruth didn't want to make a scene, so she pulled the child into an alcove.

"We will soon. We have to go to Nyack first, to take the big girls back to school. After that, we will go to grandmother's house. Is that all right?"

Elizabeth nodded and hugged her mother.

Suddenly, shouts could be heard on the porch.

Ruth knew exactly who those voices belonged to.

"_Why must you be at each other's throats?"_ She thought.

Governor Creedon intervened.

"Do you want me to tell them to stop, or should you do it Ruth?" He asked.

"I don't need this, not right now. They can find their own way back to Nyack. I don't care if they have to hitchhike their way back to Ravenwood." She cried.

"Shall I take them?" He asked.

"By all means, if you can handle two sixteen year olds, then I applaud you." She replied, with a bit of a laugh.

"I didn't fight in a war for nothing, did I?" He too, said with a laugh.

Ruth walked out onto the porch and was horrified by what she saw.

Rose had Emily by the hair. Her curls were coming undone.

Ruth had had enough.

She screamed.

"Enough! What do the two of you think you are? You're both acting like hoydens! Rose, Emily separate at once!"

Rose slunk her head down.

"You ought to be ashamed. People will start talking. What you do behind closed doors is one thing, but in public you must act as though there are no problems." An exasperated Ruth sputtered.

"Sorry, mother." Rose feebly replied.

Ruth said no more.

Governor Creedon emerged from the house.

"Are you both ready to leave?" He asked Rose and Emily.

They nodded, and he gathered them.

Ruth was free of the two eldest children.

Now all she had to contend with was her youngest.

She went back inside to gather Elizabeth.

By now the other guests had departed, and sad Elizabeth was all who remained.

"All right Elizabeth, we may leave now." Ruth said calmly.

The child trailed behind her mother.

The drive to the DeWitt household took only slightly longer than anticipated. By the time they arrived, at the house it was nearly seven in the evening.

Edith, Ruth's stepmother was waiting for them in the foyer.

"Good evening, Ruth. Hello Elizabeth" She said.

Ruth smiled at her stepmother.

The three of them went inside.

Edith signaled to a maid to help the two with their luggage, and another to escort Elizabeth to one of the guestrooms.

"There, she looked tired and weary; especially after what went on today. How was the funeral?" She asked.

"It was wretched. I do wish you'd have come. I really needed you and papa." Ruth said.

"Oh Ruthie, you know that it wouldn't have been proper for us to be there. Why was it so wretched, darling?"

"They failed to move Alice into some other enclosure. Her blank eyes were staring at the crowd. She hasn't molded or decomposed in seventeen years. She's just like a mummy. Oh mother, it was horrible. It will haunt me now." Ruth fretted.

"Ruthie, you must pass these thoughts out of your head. It will only create problems for you down the road. Remember what your doctor told you about having those thoughts?" She said reassuringly.

"Yes, but I had to be there at the funeral; for Samuel. He would've done the same for me." She said as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Fret not dear. You were strong. You've been through so much in the last week. Remember what Dr. Langdon said when you were still a child that you could talk to me, even if I couldn't understand? I want you to do that tonight, and all of the days you're here. I think you could benefit from it." Edith said as she dabbed Ruth's cheeks with her handkerchief, smearing her makeup in the process.

"Why don't you go upstairs to your room, and get out of that mourning outfit and get the makeup off of your face? I prefer the plain you, Ruthie." Edith said.

"Thank you mother; I've been meaning to get out of this pathetic dress since this morning." She replied.

"Do you need me to send Sarah up to help you with your corset?" Edith asked.

Ruth nodded.

She ascended the staircase. The maid followed her.

Ruth's old room was just as it always was. The four-post bed was against the wall in the center of the room. The quilt seemed inviting. The luggage had been put near the wardrobe. The Oriental rug that had been there since Ruth was a child still looked as it always had; slightly faded. The dressing table still remained untouched.

Ruth felt like she was thirteen again.

"_I've always felt safe in here, as if the world couldn't hurt me. Not even Samuel could get to me in here."_ She thought.

The door opened.

It was the maid.

"I'm here to unlace your corset, miss." She said.

Sarah unbuttoned Ruth's dress and helped her with the undergarments. She found a loose fitting dress and Ruth slid it over her shoulders.

"Miss Edith instructed me to tell you that she would like to see you in the sitting room after we're finished." Sarah said meekly.

"Thank you, I'll be able to find my way there. You're free to go." Ruth replied.

Ruth made her way to the sitting room, but not before checking on Elizabeth.

The child was fast asleep in the bed. She looked peaceful.

It was a _peace_ that wouldn't last, however.

She pulled the quilt over Elizabeth and kissed her goodnight.

Edith was sitting in one of the plush chairs. This sitting room, like Ruth's at home, was Edith's domain.

"Sit, dear. I'll have some tea brought in at once." Edith said.

Ruth did as she was instructed.

"Now, Ruthie I want you to tell me how you feel." Edith articulated.

"Well, things are not looking good for Elizabeth. I'm afraid she'll never get over her problem." Ruth responded.

"What sort of problem dear, is it that wetting problem she has?" Edith inquired.

"That's one of the problems. She has to be cleaned up every two hours sometimes; occasionally sometimes more. It's very vexing and I should think a child of thirteen should be trained, at least normal children are." Ruth uttered.

"Well, Ruthie you can't punish her for it. She obviously cannot help it. Does the condition make you love her less?" Edith probed.

"No, but how is she going to go into adulthood with this problem, along with her autism?" Ruth articulated.

"Elizabeth will need your help with this, Ruth. This state has an agency that helps those afflicted; they also have a special unit at Taunton State Hospital for adolescents and adults." Edith responded.

"I have a feeling that they'll hurt her there. I don't want to betray her and hurt her feelings. Her feelings are very fragile." Ruth retorted.

"No. The nurses and neurologists there are very well trained. Your little one will be in good hands. I've heard so many good things about the facility." She said.

"Then I have no choice mama, but to send her there. I just have to make sure there's a bed for her." Ruth replied.

By now it was eleven-thirty. Ruth was decidedly tired after a very long day. She bid goodnight to her stepmother and ascended the stairs.

She opened the door to her bedroom. She noticed someone sleeping in it.

It was Elizabeth.

Quietly, Ruth dressed for bed. With no effort on her part, she slipped under the quilt.

Elizabeth however had other plans.

"Mama, is that you?" She whispered.

Ruth groaned.

"Yes, it's me. I'm trying to go to sleep."

The child put her arms around her mother and fell asleep.


	3. A Revelation

CHAPTER THREE

A REVELATION

After staying a week at Ruth's parents, mother and daughter decided to head back to the home on 5th Avenue. Since Samuel's suicide, the home was no longer the same. The bedroom in which he had ended his life had been cleaned up; the bed was made and all of the papers had been locked in the desk.

They were totally alone now.

Sadie Malden, the household nanny had since returned from visiting her family in her namesake city.

Elizabeth was happy to see her.

She was more than happy to see her.

Sadie wasn't in the house more than twenty minutes when Ruth pulled her into the sitting room.

"Samuel stated in his will that Elizabeth be put into a more stable environment." Ruth told the nanny.

"But why would he want that, he wasn't talking about one of _those_ places was he? Elizabeth doesn't need a place where the truly hopeless go, does she?" Sadie asked.

"My mother informed me that they have a special place at Taunton State Hospital for adolescents like her. Clearly, it's up to her if she wants to master her condition." Ruth replied.

"Ruth, Elizabeth isn't an adolescent, at least not emotionally." Sadie uttered.

"I know. She acts like a little girl. Clearly she still is one." Ruth countered.

"It isn't that. I see her as this innocent, helpless child. The world will be cruel to her. I don't think she'll ever be able to cope with anything." Sadie said putting her hands on her lap.

"Frankly, Sadie I don't want her to get the notion into her head that I will always be there. Someday, I will no longer walk the earth. I know that she'll need a caregiver, and I can't do it. It breaks my heart to see her in this way; completely oblivious to the world, so naïve." Ruth said as she began to choke with emotion.

Elizabeth had since gone back to her bedroom. Her dolls and toys were scattered about. She wanted to play, but she was apprehensive.

"_It's almost time for my afternoon nap. Mama should be in to get me ready soon."_ She thought to herself.

The clock on the wall showed that it was nearing two o'clock.

Her nap was thirty minutes late.

Panic was beginning to set in.

Elizabeth began to get frustrated. She screamed out.

Downstairs in the sitting room, the commotion was beginning to be heard.

"Is that Elizabeth?" Sadie asked.

Ruth nodded her head.

"Let me go diffuse the situation." Sadie said relatively calmly.

Sadie ascended the stairs and entered the room.

Elizabeth sat there on the floor in tears.

"Whatever is the matter, Elizabeth?" Sadie said soothingly.

"I want to take a nap, and mama is thirty minutes late. She has forgotten about my nap!" Elizabeth said, raising her voice.

"No, she didn't forget your nap. Your mother and I were having a conversation in the sitting room. I was going to help you as soon as we were finished." Sadie said.

Minutes later, Elizabeth was being tucked in.

"There you go, rest your eyes." She said.

Elizabeth closed her eyes.

Back in the sitting room, Ruth picked up the phone.

She dialed the number for the hospital, more specifically the unit in which Elizabeth would be staying.

A young man picked up on the other end.

"Hello, This is the Melvin Price Neurological Affliction Unit; Dr. Hanscom speaking." The man said with officiousness.

"Yes, this is Ruth Bukater. Perhaps you can answer a few questions for me." Ruth replied.

"I can answer them for you. What seems to be the problem?" He asked.

"I have a thirteen year old daughter with that disorder that they recently found. Emotionally, she's about eight years old. What are the prerequisites for receiving care at the facility?" She replied.

"Well Mrs. Bukater, all you have to do is bring her here to do an intake. We currently have a bed available. I must warn you that the average patient stay here is about two to three months, so you probably won't get to see your daughter for quite some time." He said.

Ruth frowned.

"Will she see a specialist while she's there?" She asked the doctor.

"Oh yes, she'll see an Applied Behavior Analyst that is on site every day. Does your daughter have any particularities? What I mean is, is does she act out in any way?" He asked.

"Well, her habit of hitting other people is a particularity. She does this when she gets frustrated, and only when she gets frustrated. Her older sister was often the unintended target of this behavior." Ruth said.

There was a pause.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bukater. You may bring her here. We can, I assure you help your daughter." He said.

She hung up the phone.

She became deep in thought.

"_I love the child, but she must learn that I will not always be there. Someday, I will no longer walk the earth. This is the right thing to do."_ She thought.

This was the right thing to do.

"_It should have been done sooner, but events prevented me from doing this."_ She thought again.

She had to make the journey there as painless as possible.

She had an idea.

"_I'll make it look as though she's going to stay with my sister. Instead of making the left onto 25 heading towards the cape, I'll continue south into Taunton." _She had thought once again.

The clock on the wall read four. Elizabeth had been retrieved.

Once Sadie was done assisting the child, Ruth pulled her into the sitting room once again.

"It's all set. Tomorrow, I take her to Taunton. I have no idea as to how long she'll be there. I'll make it look as though we're going to my sister's home in Somerset." She said in a hushed tone.

Sadie nodded.

"As for your position here in this household, you'll get to keep it. She'll need a caregiver once she is out. You have always wanted to go to Rockland and see London. This is your chance." Ruth said.

The nanny smiled.

Dinner that night was a somber affair. Ruth picked at her food. Elizabeth did the same.

"Mama, is something going to happen to me?" Elizabeth asked with concern.

Ruth wasn't prepared for _this_.

"No, nothing is going to happen to you. Aunt Jessica has decided to let you stay with her for a while. This house is too stifling for you." She said, lying through her teeth.

"Are you sure, mama?" She asked again.

"Yes." Ruth replied, seeming to end any further negotiation.

Elizabeth could sense that her mother was lying to her.

"You lie." Elizabeth muttered under her breath.

Ruth shot her youngest child a look of anger.

"Young lady, you can just forget about talking to me this evening. I will not tolerate this behavior from you. You often forget, Elizabeth that it is very taxing on me to look after you. Why couldn't you have been a 'normal' child?" She said tersely.

"I'm sorry mama. I'll just go away and you'll never see me again!" Elizabeth screamed.

The child got up from her chair, knocking it over in haste.

The footsteps continued into the foyer.

The front door opened, and then slammed shut with such force that it shook the house.

This was the last straw for Ruth.

She slammed her utensils down onto her plate, not unlike the final days that Samuel had been alive.

She desperately hoped that Elizabeth hadn't run into the street.

Ruth got herself up from her seat and walked out of the dining room.

Her pace quickened.

She opened the front door to find Elizabeth sitting on the steps crying.

"Go away mama. You're lying to me!" She said in a shrill manner.

"Elizabeth Campbell Bukater, I am not and have not ever lied to you! Get inside at once. Do you think people out here wish to hear your shouting? They don't Elizabeth." Ruth uttered in a very stern manner.

She tried to grab the child's hand, but she pulled it back.

"Elizabeth!" She hissed.

This was the worst place for Elizabeth to have a "fit."

Finally Ruth was able to get the child inside the house.

She wasn't happy.

"Elizabeth, why'd you do this? I know that you haven't been yourself as of late, but please be good for me. I don't want anything to happen to you." Ruth pleaded.

Elizabeth didn't want to talk.

"Elizabeth, please say something." She pleaded again.

The child just shook her head.

Ruth wasn't angry at Elizabeth, no. She was becoming angry at the situation.

"Do you wish to see me as the laughingstock of society? Because Elizabeth, what you're doing is leading me there. Elizabeth, do you also wish to see me _lose you_ forever?" Ruth quietly said.

The child put her arms around her mother. Ruth returned the embrace.

"I don't know why everything has to be so bad, mama? Why do bad things have to happen to us?" Elizabeth asked, beginning to sob.

Ruth soothed her child, stroking her hair.

"Not everything has to be bad, sweetheart. Your father's death was a very selfish thing for him to do, but he did it to end his misery." Ruth said in a sweet tone.

"He was suffering? Why was papa suffering? Was it me that made him kill himself?" Elizabeth asked.

"No Elizabeth. You didn't cause your father to kill himself. He was very sick." She said.

Still the tears fell.

She let go of her mother and sat on the floor. Ruth disapproved of this when company was over, but she let the child do it.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Ruth asked.

Elizabeth shook her head and Ruth joined her on the floor.

"So, this is what it's like on the floor? Not much of a view." Ruth said.

"It's not the view, I just feel safe down here." She replied.

"It's about your security? Oh Elizabeth, I wished I had known about this sooner. I was always puzzled as to why you sat down here." Ruth articulated.

"May I sleep with you tonight?" Elizabeth asked.

Ruth nodded.

Elizabeth felt more secure when she slept in the same bed as her mother. Ruth grabbed her hand and held it in hers.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you." Ruth whispered.

"But what about Rose and Emily, will you still love them?" Elizabeth asked.

Ruth nodded.

Elizabeth had always looked up to Rose; less so after Emily arrived. She wanted to emulate Emily because in Elizabeth's eyes, she was the epitome of perfection. To her, Emily had impeccable manners and a cheerful disposition. In reality, Emily did have those things. But she too had a condition and Elizabeth didn't know, couldn't have known about the medication Emily took; took just to keep balance. She'd seen Emily when she wasn't balanced and it got ugly. Emily would scream and become angry; for no reason.

At least to Elizabeth, it was for no reason.

"Mama, how come Emily gets angry for no reason?" Elizabeth asked.

"There is a reason Elizabeth. Emily has many issues, but that is for Emily to deal with." Ruth replied.

"Do you ever worry about the 'big girls'?" She asked apprehensively.

"I worry about them more than you know. Some nights I don't sleep. Something could happen to them. I would die if something ever did. I don't know why Rose is so embarrassed of me, I love her so. I remember when the two of you were little. I guess I can't accept the fact that you're all growing up. Emily is already seeking a husband, and Rose is being pursued, albeit not by the man I wish. That just leaves you. Do not fret, someone will find you. There is somebody for everyone. You're very intelligent and many men find that to be a good thing. Your father loved me for my intelligence. I was a 'wild spirit.'" Ruth said.

The young child yawned. She had no idea of what was to occur the next day.

"You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow. Perhaps it's time to go to bed?" Ruth cajoled.

She nodded.

They both got up off the floor. Ruth made the mistake of forgetting that she had a corset on. She nearly yelped out in pain.

Elizabeth giggled.

"So, you think that was funny? You try wearing one of these. Both of your sisters do." Ruth uttered.

The two ascended the stairs. As they neared the top, Sadie emerged from Elizabeth's room.

"Elizabeth's all packed up and ready to go." She said.

Ruth gave a quick nod.

Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth was in Ruth's bed dozing off.

Ruth still had much work to do.

She went to the sitting room and picked up the phone.

She dialed the numbers to her parents' house.

Ruth was anxious.

Finally, a voice was on the other end.

"Good evening, this is the DeWitt residence. May I ask who is calling please?" The voice said.

"It's Ruth. Is mother there?"

"Yes, Miss Edith is in. Do you wish for me to get her?" The voice replied.

"_Please, enough with the damn formalities; just let me speak to my mother."_ Ruth thought.

"Hello, Ruth?" Edith said.

"Oh mama, I'm so anxious. My thoughts are racing. I can't go on. Not like this." Ruth said in a panic.

"Ruthie, have you taken your medication today? Tell me the truth." She said.

"Yes mama, I have. I've taken my medication. I'm just so nervous. They're going to do something to my Elizabeth there. I just know it, and if they do so help me god." She uttered.

"Calm down Ruthie. First, nobody is going to do anything to Elizabeth. Second, are you failing?" Edith asked concern rising in her voice.

"No. No, I'm not failing. It's been four years since then. I don't need your guardianship." Ruth snapped back.

"Ruthie, I've been worried about you. When you were staying here, you were losing touch with reality. Is Alice talking to you again?" She asked.

"Why do you say that?" Ruth replied.

"Because, you were talking to her, and when I saw you do it; you got angry. Your mood would change every time." Edith blurted out.

"Oh, mama you weren't supposed to see that! Now you're going to have ME put in one of those places, and I'll never get to see anyone again! Not Emily, not Rose, and especially my baby Elizabeth! You just want to take her from me! You think you know how she works, but you don't!" Ruth exclaimed.

"Calm down Ruth!" Edith shouted.

"Why must you always bring up Alice? She does nothing to hurt you! She's always there. You insist that she's dead and buried." Ruth defensively replied.

"Ruthie, that's it. I'm coming to stay with you. I know you're not going to like it, but trust me. It's better than having to go to the hospital. I'll be there after ten tonight. We're going to have a very long talk tomorrow after we take Elizabeth to Taunton." Edith coolly said.

"No mama, please don't come here. I don't want you hurting Alice, please don't hurt her."

"I'm sorry Ruthie, you leave me no choice. You are going under my guardianship again."

"But I'm forty-one years old. I'm not a child anymore."

Suddenly, a male voice was heard on the other end.

"Ruth, your stepmother shouldn't have to do this. Tell me if you have taken your medication." Her father said.

Ruth knew the jig was up.

"No! Papa, I haven't been taking my medication. I don't like it. I feel better when I'm off. Please don't have mama come here! I don't want to see her. She wasn't nice on the phone!" Ruth sobbed hysterically.

"Ruth, when was your last dose?" Her father asked.

"A week ago, papa, please don't let mama come here!" She continued to sob.

"She's leaving now Ruthie. I'm sorry." He replied.

"No, no she'll be nasty to me." She sobbed out.

"She's never been nasty to you. She actively cares about your wellbeing. We don't want you to fail. We want you to succeed." He said.

Suddenly, Ruth's demeanor changed.

"I want mama. I want her here." She replied as though she were a child.

"She's going to be there. Don't worry." He said.

"I love you, papa." Ruth replied.

"I love you too Ruthie. We both love you very much." Her father cajoled.

Ruth hung up the phone and sat on the couch.

"Sadie! Sadie! Please hurry!" Ruth screamed.

Seconds later, the nanny was in the sitting room.

"My stepmother is coming. It seems that things have come up." She said dryly.

Ruth then did something she would never have done with the staff.

She hugged and kissed Sadie on the cheek, then began to cry in long, drawn out sobs.

Sadie rubbed Ruth's back and soothed her.

"It's going to be all right Ruth; she only wants to help you. She's concerned. We're all concerned for you." Sadie whispered into Ruth's ear.

She hugged Sadie once more.

The nanny returned the embrace.

"Why don't you go lie down for a little while? She won't be here until what, eleven thirty?" Sadie whispered.

"But Elizabeth is in the bed and I'll disturb her and then she'll cry and be fussy." Ruth said in a whiny way.

"She'll understand. Can you do that for me? You've been through so much. You need a rest." Sadie replied.

She got up from the couch and slowly ascended the stairs. She decided to use the sickroom to take her nap.

She lay in the bed.

"_Mother is coming here. Perhaps it will be like 1907 all over again. I'll go away for a while. Samuel won't be there to yell at me this time."_ She thought to herself.

She settled into a restless sleep.

It didn't seem like a long time until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up.

It was her stepmother.


	4. The Trip to Taunton

CHAPTER FOUR

THE TRIP TO TAUNTON

Ruth was still lying in the bed when Edith entered. She didn't acknowledge her stepmother, and this was somewhat off-putting.

"Ruth, I'm here. Acknowledge me please." She said sternly.

Ruth just turned away from her.

Edith was losing patience.

"Ruth! Look at me." She hissed.

Finally Ruth turned to look at her stepmother.

"Leave me alone. I do not wish to be disturbed." She said in a childish manner.

Edith turned around and walked out of the sickroom. She was too angry to deal with Ruth at this moment.

She entered the guest room. The bed had been turned down for her. The pillows had been neatly arranged. She had started to put her clothes away in the wardrobe when she heard the door open.

It was Ruth.

"Ruth, what was that just now?" Edith asked her stepdaughter.

"I was tired, that's all. You didn't need to get angry with me." She said.

"That's beside the point Ruth. You must acknowledge someone when they enter a room." She said.

Ruth truly looked a fright. Her hair was undone, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

Edith stood there marveling at how poor Ruth looked.

"Dear, you didn't brush your hair before you fell asleep did you?" She asked, all of the animosity diminishing.

Edith reached in a small box and produced a hair brush.

"Sit dear." She said calmly.

Ruth began to show a look of embarrassment on her face.

"Ruth, your hair is atrocious. I just want to brush it." Edith said, almost nitpicking.

She walked over to the stool and sat.

"There. I'll start now." Edith cooed.

She hadn't had her hair brushed by her stepmother since she was eleven years of age. It was true that Ruth was failing, and soon it would seem that even the most mundane of tasks would become an all-out battle of attrition.

It was a little uncomfortable at first, but Edith spoke.

"Ruthie, I've always loved your hair. It's so soft, it always has been really; even when you were a small child I was envious." She said.

"So, do you still hate me mother?" Ruth asked, her voice rising.

"Hate you? Ruth, I've never hated you. Why on earth would you claim that I hate you? Ruth, are you hearing things again?" Edith whispered.

She just covered her eyes with her hands and began to cry.

"Mother, please don't bring that up. I'm not insane. Please believe me."

"Ruth, I never said that you were insane. Please don't jump to conclusions. Hold still." Edith said as she passed the brush through Ruth's hair.

She began to cry harder.

Edith sensed something was drastically wrong.

"What is it Ruthie? What's got you carrying on like that?" She soothed.

"It's Elizabeth. I'm going to lose her; I'll kill myself if something happened to her. They'll kill her there. Then she'll be dead! My little girl will be dead. Mama, don't let them hurt her!" Ruth screamed hysterically.

"What triggered this, Ruthie? What made you go into hysterics? I'm here now, so you don't have to go through this alone. Obviously Ruth there's much larger things afoot here. Please dear, tell me what it is." Edith pleaded.

Ruth shook her head. This was going to be hard for her to explain.

"Mama, the doctor that I talked to on the phone; he was the same doctor that touched me when I was thirteen. I recognized his voice. He sounded young, just like he did back in '83. I don't think he knew that I was Ruth DeWitt then. Maybe he won't see me take Elizabeth there." She carefully explained.

"Ruth, are you sure that this isn't a delusion? How can you be sure that this isn't the same doctor?" She asked her stepdaughter.

"You have the papers from '83. You have to look in the cabinet at your house." She said nervously.

"Tomorrow, I'll call your father. It's too late now, it's probably well after midnight." Edith added.

This is what Ruth had been so nervous about. She explained it in a roundabout way, but now that it was out there; Edith felt more at ease.

"Perhaps you should go to bed Ruth? I've brushed the knots out of your hair. With your hair brushed you look like a new penny. Do you need assistance dressing for bed?" Edith enquired.

She shook her head. Edith began to speak.

"Ruthie, you get a good night's rest. I assume you have the bed to yourself tonight?" Edith asked.

"Elizabeth is in the bed. Knowing how she sleeps, she won't feel me get in."

The phone began to ring in the hallway.

"It's probably your father. He wants to see if I made it here. I'll ask him about those papers." Edith said.

She patted Ruth on the back and sent her to bed.

Edith picked up the phone.

Sure enough it was her husband.

"Edie, I'm just calling to make sure you got there all right." He said.

"I did. Ruth was asleep when I arrived. I woke her up. We've just had a rather interesting conversation. John, do you know if we still have Ruthie's discharge papers from Edward Briggs Hospital from 1883?" She asked.

He didn't skip a beat.

"Yes, we have the papers in her document safe. Why, is there something wrong with them?" he asked.

"Can you see who the doctor was that signed her discharge order? I'm pretty sure a certain Dr. Langdon was part of it, but she mentioned a certain Dr. Hanscom at one point. Ruth was nearly ranting about him." She said.

"I'll look." He replied.

It seemed an eternity, but he returned.

"Yes Edie, it says right here that Dr. James Hanscom signed below Dr. John Langdon. His remarks that he made in the summary were in poor taste. Hanscom called Ruth a 'Selfish brat and a poor 'team' player.' I think I know what he's referring to." He said.

"My god, I thought that she was being delusional; and now he works where Elizabeth is going to be. I pray he isn't there when we arrive." Edith said dryly.

Husband and wife ended their phone call. Edith decided to call it a night.

As she went to bed she thought about her granddaughter's future.

"_She'll get out of there relatively soon. I don't think she's as bad off as she looks. If she receives outside assistance, she very well might make it."_

The rest of the night was relatively uneventful. The house was actually quiet for once.

Unfortunately, dawn came too quickly it seemed.

The house began to stir. Elizabeth awoke at five-thirty and quickly snuck out of her mother's bed.

Ruth didn't even notice, for she was in a very deep sleep.

In the guestroom, Edith was also waking up to face the day.

Both granddaughter and grandmother met in the dining room.

"Nana, I didn't know you'd come to our house!" Elizabeth whispered.

Edith smiled for a moment and then spoke.

"Today is a very big day for you, Elizabeth. I'm here to visit." She lied, at least partially.

"I heard mama crying last night. Why was mama crying, nana?" The child asked.

Edith couldn't really explain it to her because it would tip her off to what was about to happen.

"She was crying because she was sad. She misses your father terribly." She lied.

"Oh, I didn't know." Elizabeth replied.

Edith sat down at the table.

"You know Elizabeth, have you ever thought of getting help before?" She asked.

Elizabeth cocked her head slightly.

"What do you mean nana?" She asked a slight hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Well, have you ever thought that even the most ordinary task was a battle to you?" Edith asked.

Elizabeth nodded her head.

"Don't you wish you had gotten help with it?" Edith asked once more.

"Yes, but I have Miss Sadie to help me." Elizabeth replied.

"Elizabeth, you must remember that Miss Sadie will not always be around. You must learn to help yourself." Edith said in a cheerful tone.

By now, the staff had come into the dining room. Tea was served shortly thereafter. The clock on the wall read six-fifteen. Ruth had also made her way into the dining room.

"Good morning Ruth, I'd hoped you would've joined us." Edith said.

Ruth groaned.

"I take it you're not a morning person." Edith added.

"Elizabeth, go upstairs. Nana and I need privacy." Ruth commanded.

The child did as she was told.

The two adults were alone now.

Ruth produced a small bottle.

It was her medication.

She took two small green tablets out of the bottle and ingested them, followed by a sip of tea.

"There Ruthie, you've taken your morning dose. You'll feel better in about forty minutes." Edith calmly said.

Ruth put her hand on her face and rubbed her eyes.

"I slept very badly mother. I don't think I got to sleep until three o'clock at the latest. I was envious of Elizabeth because she slept soundly." She groaned.

Edith smirked.

"I think it had something to do with impure thinking." She said.

Ruth looked puzzled.

"Well, when you take your medication your thoughts become pure. The thing about your illness Ruthie is that it's very insidious. True, there are people worse off than you and you do have a good doctor, but you must stay on top of it. I know that you communicate with 'Alice,' but you must remember that Alice is dead, she lives on in spirit. It's hard, yes, but you will learn to let go and know that she'll always be with you in your heart. What you hear is not 'Alice' but your mind."

It was too early for this, Ruth didn't need this; not now.

"Mother, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was such a bad child. There were times when I know you hated me." Ruth said with forlornness.

Edith's eyes grew large.

"Dear, I've never hated you. I'd get frustrated yes, but you were a teenager. I wanted you to be happy. Your father and I sacrificed a few things, but I'd say that we never hated you. It's quite the opposite really." Edith said reassuringly.

"Did you check the cabinet?" She asked nervously.

"Yes Ruth. Your father checked it last night. Dr. Hanscom was the one who signed off on your discharge papers from Edward Briggs Hospital. He was the one who groped you, is that correct?" Edith enquired.

All Ruth could do was nod.

Upstairs in Elizabeth's room Sadie was giving Elizabeth a few final touches. Elizabeth, who was normally stubborn, was surprisingly well behaved today.

This astonished Sadie.

"What has gotten you so well behaved this morning? Normally from the get-go you're putting up a fight." She said.

"It's because I'm going to see my aunt in Somerset. I'm enlivened to see her." She replied, oblivious to what was going to actually happen today.

"That's nice, dear. You always did love your aunt. Jessica is her name I take it?" Sadie questioned.

Elizabeth nodded.

All of her luggage was packed. Everything from her dresses to a few of her dolls was packed.

"All of my things have to be packed? You forgot a few of my dolls Miss Sadie." Elizabeth said uneasily.

"Your mother wants you to have all of the comforts you have at home. She cares about your comfort and wellbeing." Sadie said confidently.

"Will you come with me to Aunt Jessica's home?" Elizabeth asked tautly.

Sadie shook her head.

"No Elizabeth, I cannot go to your aunt's home. A friend of mine who lives in Rockland wishes me to visit them." She said calmly.

"Is it a boy?" Elizabeth asked inquisitively.

"He's a man, yes. He's quite handsome." Sadie said prudently. Her face lit up with excitement.

"What's his name? Is he nice?" Elizabeth asked Sadie with great curiosity.

"His name is Thomas Toolan. He is very nice." She said with low-key excitement.

"You love him! Uncle William is very nice to Aunt Jessica. They love each other dearly." Elizabeth said with delight.

Sadie blushed.

Downstairs in the dining room, Edith and Ruth were sitting at the table. Edith was looking at the newspaper.

"_Even more is coming out now about Samuel; most of it is good, but some of it not so much. I saw that he had a son from an affair dating from '79. God, I hope it's not true."_ Edith thought apprehensively.

"Mother, I think we should get Elizabeth some stationery before we take her to the facility. She'll want to write to me and practice her handwriting, for it is truly atrocious." Ruth uttered.

"I agree. I'm sure there is a sundry store in Taunton. There is one actually; at the corner of Tremont and Creedon Streets. We'll go there after we drop off Elizabeth. Quite frankly, at least we both care enough about her wellbeing. We're not just shoving her away in some grotty hospital for her to die." Edith said with meaning.

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Mother, it's Elizabeth, she's coming downstairs. Don't alarm her." Ruth whispered.

Elizabeth walked into the dining room.

She was remarkably dressed. Her deep auburn hair had been brushed and put into place with a white ribbon. Her clothing was a light pink; her pleated skirt was held in place with a belt; which was in high fashion for children at the time. Her white stockings stood out in a bright contrast to her black boots, which made her footsteps rather loud on the hardwood floors. Even her gloves were intricate.

"I'm ready to go, mama." Elizabeth said eagerly.

"Do not forget your hat, Elizabeth. It's hanging over there on the rack." Ruth said as she pointed to the hat rack.

She picked up her straw boater and put it on.

"Are we ready to go?" Elizabeth eagerly asked.

Ruth and Edith nodded.

"Say goodbye to Miss Sadie." Ruth said.

Elizabeth ran to the bottom of the stairs where the nanny was standing.

The child threw her arms around Sadie.

"I'll be back soon. Don't fret over my absence." Elizabeth said with assurance.

"I won't fret Elizabeth. I will however miss you and I will miss our conversations about everything." Sadie replied.

Elizabeth gave Sadie a kiss on the cheek and then walked towards Ruth.

"It's time to depart Elizabeth. Say goodbye to the house for a while." Ruth said, trying not to let on too much.

The other maids had loaded Elizabeth's luggage into the car.

The three of them got in.

Something was not quite right however.

Elizabeth could _sense_ it.

"Why did you say 'say goodbye to the house for a while' mama?" She meekly asked.

Ruth couldn't answer.

"I don't know darling." She replied.

Ruth was becoming uneasy. It was though Elizabeth _knew_ what was about to occur.

"Why don't you close your eyes and take a nap for the ride down? It's a rather dull ride to Somerset." Ruth added.

Elizabeth wasn't tired.

"But mama, I'm not tired. Nana, you can see that I'm not tired, can't you? If I go to sleep now, I'll be naughty to Aunt Jessica, Uncle William and little Wilhelmina." She whined.

Ruth was slightly annoyed.

"_Why can't you just go to sleep so you won't be able to see where it is that you're going to? You'll panic when you see that we're in Taunton."_ Ruth thought.

With Edith driving and Ruth sitting in the passenger seat, Elizabeth had the back seat to herself. To avoid any further stress in the car, Elizabeth decided to lie on the seat. She looked up at the ceiling. She could feel the car moving.

They were picking up speed.

It seemed to be an eternity to Elizabeth, but finally she asked.

"Where are we now, mama?"

Ruth barely managed to skip a beat.

"We're heading south. We're somewhere near Bridgewater." She replied.

"_Why is mama so distant and cold right now? Yesterday she wanted to do nothing but comfort me. Today she's being mean to me. I don't like it at all. Nana is letting her be mean to me!"_ She thought.

Minutes later, the car was slowing down. The road was bumpy. Elizabeth sat up, watching the scenes around her.

How the people looked.

It was very frightening to her. The ordinary people of this city seemed so foreign.

"This isn't Somerset!" She shouted.

Right, it wasn't Somerset.

It was Taunton.

The square in the center of the city was a large lawn. A flagpole at the center of it all held the national flag as well as the state flag. There was very little wind to make the flagpole rags fly. They just appeared to be limp and lifeless, just like the people who lived there. She saw a group of other boys and girls her age being led by what appeared to be a nurse.

They looked so blank, even lifeless.

One couldn't control their body and they began to flap their hands.

"_That person is doing what I do!"_ She thought.

In almost no time at all, they turned up a street called Hodges Avenue. The neighborhood looked immaculate. The homes were all kept tidy. The lawns were kept verdant and bright. Ahead lay two imposing stone gateposts. The car came to an abrupt stop. The imposing wrought iron gates opened. Then the terror came.

"This isn't Aunt Jessica's home! This is a lie! You told me a lie mama. You lied to me, you knew I wasn't going; you wanted to bring me here. You just wanted to get rid of me because you honestly think that I'm stupid!" She ranted and raved.

"Elizabeth Campbell Bukater, you will stop this foolishness at once! You need more help than I can provide you. Maybe you can learn to help yourself here." Ruth said sternly.

"_Elizabeth, you must remember that Miss Sadie will not always be around. You must learn to help yourself."_ She remembered her grandmother telling her.

Now she knew what Edith was referring to.

Once beyond the gates the road wound past cottages.

The occupants looked like they were in a daze, the world passing them by; leaving them in the dust of progress.

Elizabeth began to cry now.

"_I'm going to die here. I am not loved; this is where the unloved and unwanted go."_ She thought.

Edith marveled at the grounds.

"It looks like she'll have room to romp. I still haven't seen this building where the ward is located." She said.

Finally after passing a grove of trees, the imposing buildings that made up the hospital came into view.

The larger building seemed to intimidate whoever went near it. The dome that crowned the building made it look so official, and so much more sinister.

"_We've destroyed countless lives, and we'll destroy yours too."_ As if it was to say.

In front of it there was a smaller building. Even this building looked intimidating with its gothic architecture. The cupola atop of it was adorned with a weathervane in the shape of a ship. The Palladian windows were neatly kept. The slate roof was a dull gray.

The car finally came to a stop in front of this smaller building.

Ruth emerged from the car first.

"Mother, you really should see this." Ruth commented.

Edith got herself out of the car.

"It looks rather nice. The weather couldn't get any better." She added.

But on the horizon, storm clouds were gathering.

Elizabeth continued to sit in the car, hoping to deter them from taking her inside.

"Come on darling, get out of the car. We must go inside now." Ruth said softly.

Elizabeth shook her head in protest.

"Come now dear. The help you need is right there. You can't prolong the inevitable." Ruth said sharply.

The child reluctantly got out of the car.

Edith took her hand and led her towards the door.

They reached the doors, and entered.

The interior was quite ornate. The floor was marble.

"_With an interior this opulent, the care here must be good."_ Edith thought.

The look on Ruth's face was more telling.

"_They seem to really go over the top here. There's probably something more to this place."_ She thought.

They approached the front desk. A woman sat behind it.

"Hello, we're here to have my daughter get the help she needs. I called yesterday, and the person said to bring her here for an intake. You do that, don't you?" Ruth asked.

"Yes, we do have an intake process. Do you have paperwork from any previous examinations on your child?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I have a report from Dr. Langdon." Ruth replied.

The woman took it from Ruth's hands.

"Thank you." She said.

"What is your child's name?" the woman asked.

"Her name is Elizabeth Campbell Bukater." Ruth replied.

"What is her date of birth?"

"June 15th, 1897."

"Thank you."

Minutes later someone came out from a room and motioned for Elizabeth to enter.

She got up and entered the room followed by her mother and grandmother.

The room was rather small and insignificant. Posters adorned the walls.

"Good morning Elizabeth. How are you today?" The intake worker said.

She didn't speak.

"She does this occasionally. Sometimes she's nonverbal. Do you have a piece of paper?" Ruth inquired.

The worker gave Elizabeth a writing tablet.

She began to write.

"_I'm not happy. My mother lied to me. I'm not crazy. This is where crazy people go."_ She wrote.

The worker replied.

"They know you're not 'crazy.' I think your mother didn't want to worry you. We are not affiliated with what goes on across the yard. They are run by an entirely different organization: The Department of Mental Health, or DMH. We're run by the Department of Developmental Services, or DDS. Think of this as rehabilitation."

Ruth decided to add to the conversation.

"It's just getting to be too much to take care of her, especially since I know nothing about her condition, or at least next to nothing." She added.

"She's in good hands here. We know a great deal now; unlike we did ten, even fifteen years ago. It used to be that when a person was officially diagnosed, it was like a death sentence. They rounded these people up and put them in a place like the one across the way. That, Mrs. Bukater, wouldn't have been good for your child. Under the direction of Governor Charles Campbell in 1899, the DDS was formed. It was the last thing he did in office before his second term expired." The worker said.

The lights dimmed slightly.

"What was that?" Edith asked.

The worker didn't miss a beat.

"That's from across the yard. They're doing exactly what you think they're doing."

"How long will she be here?" Edith asked.

"The length of stay depends on the functionality of the patient. Since we don't know how well your daughter functions, we don't know how long she'll be staying here."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Edith said.

Elizabeth wrote something down on the piece of paper.

"_Will I get to go outside? My grandmother said that I would have plenty of room to 'romp' outside."_

The worker answered her question.

"Yes, you do get to go outside; but there is more to it than that. Passes are issued by staff and are issued at their discretion. If you behave well and get along with the other patients, then you'll get your passes. There is a group that is led by one of the nurses that goes downtown. The only rule about going outside is this: Do not go across the yard to the big building. The patients over there can be unruly."

Elizabeth shuddered.

"My mother and I have to go get some things for Elizabeth. Is it safe to leave her here?" Ruth inquired.

The worker nodded.

"We're actually going to take her to get settled."

Two staff members came to gather the child.

"I'd like to say goodbye to my daughter first, if I may." Ruth pleaded.

She knelt to Elizabeth's level and took her hands into hers.

"Elizabeth, you must be a good girl. Do everything that they tell you to do, even if you don't want to do it. If you do these things, then you can get out early."

She took Elizabeth into an embrace, putting one of her hands on the back of her head, pulling her close.

"I love you, very much." She whispered.

She then let go and the staff took her away. A pout developed on the child's face.

"Ruth, if we're to get her things, we should do it now." Edith whispered.

"Let's do that now." She replied.


	5. The Ward

CHAPTER FIVE

THE WARD

After being taken from her family, Elizabeth was now in a difficult situation. Her first impulse was to have a "fit." She only vaguely knew if it would've gotten her something. The two staff members said nothing as they walked down the hall.

A door was ahead.

"I've got this one." One of the staff said quietly.

The staff member put their key into the lock.

A buzzer that sounded like a constant chirp of crickets went off.

Elizabeth covered her ears.

"All right, let's continue to walk." One of them said.

"I feel like I'm being put in jail." Elizabeth thought.

A few feet further, and they were in a large room.

It was abuzz.

"Who is this?" A nurse who sat at the desk asked.

"The patient's name is Elizabeth Bukater; DOB is June 15th, 1897. She is thirteen years of age. She is at the moment, nonverbal."

"Thank you; there is an open room at the end of the day room." The nurse said.

"You're welcome, Nurse McKie."

They brought her to her room.

The room itself was not that small. The bed was a standard hospital bed, but instead of there being open space beneath it, there was just a solid wooden box. The dresser was free to move, but had it been across the yard; it would have been bolted to the floor. The window wasn't barred; it was free to be opened. There was of course, the obligatory NO SMOKING sign, but she wasn't affected by this at all. She looked out the window. Unfortunately her view was impeded by the large building across the yard. The clouds that had been gathering on the horizon earlier had now congealed into a black mass. A low rumble was heard in the distance. Lightning played on the horizon. The breeze blowing through the window smelled of damp, saturated earth.

Elizabeth was brought out of this reverie by a knock on the door.

It was nurse McKie.

"Come with me please, I need to ask you a few questions." She said in a nasal tone.

"What, you're not going to talk to me?" She asked.

Elizabeth simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh god, we have one of those." She muttered under her breath.

The child came along with her.

They sat down in a consultation room.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"Elizabeth." The child replied.

"When is your birthday?"

"June 15th, 1897. I will be fourteen."

"That's in four weeks."

"Are you nice to people?" Elizabeth asked with concern.

"Only to those who don't cause problems; I hope you don't cause problems."

"I'm a very good girl." She replied.

"It says here that you have a problem, in that you wet yourself."

Elizabeth blushed.

"You're not alone; quite a few of the patients here have the same problem. When they get cleaned up, you will also be cleaned up. You will have to wear a protective covering."

"I already do." She replied, albeit embarrassed.

The nurse wrote everything down.

"You will be seeing an ABA therapist; his name is Dr. Benjamin Leahy. He will help you learn to control your emotions and behaviors."

"My mother packed all of my dresses and a few comforts from home. Is it all right if I have a doll or stuffed animal?" Elizabeth asked with eagerness.

"That's fine. I'm actually glad you have clothes of your own. You may have ONE doll. The doll is not to leave your room, unless it's for therapy. It's too risky to have the doll in the dayroom, it may be stolen."

"I won't steal anyone else's dolls."

"I'm not saying that you would, but there can be people that would. We wouldn't want you to be upset now, would we?" Nurse McKie said sarcastically.

It flew over Elizabeth's head.

"It also says here that you must have an afternoon nap, as it is part of your routine. We don't condone naps, but since it is so _engrained_ into your daily life; we'll let you do it."

"Can I go to the dayroom?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, but we have one more thing to discuss." Nurse McKie replied.

"What is it?"

"Your passes; you may go into the yard as often as you wish. When it is time for therapy you'll have to come inside. Therapy appointments are usually in the mornings from nine o'clock until ten-thirty. Yours will be at nine." The nurse replied.

With this, Elizabeth left the consult room.

She made her way back to her room.

The bed looked uncomfortable and she prepared herself for the feeling. She took off her boots and let her stocking feet touch the tiled floor.

She decided to lie on the bed.

She was tired. True the bed was very uncomfortable, but she didn't care.

"_I wish I had Melanie with me."_ She thought.

She was just about to close her eyes when the door opened.

It was all of her luggage and several shopping bags.

She set to work putting her clothes away, albeit sloppily.

It was as if the trunk was packed in accordance with the order in which she dressed. All of her underthings were on top, and her dresses were on the bottom. Elizabeth put her unmentionables in the top drawer. Everything else went elsewhere in the dresser. She searched for Melanie, her doll. She found it and put it on the bed. She went back to looking through every inch of the items delivered to her.

Then she found the shopping bags. One had what seemed every notebook that the store had. There were also multiple boxes of pencils. Another bag contained chocolate and other candies. Finally, there was a card. A note was located therein. It read;

"_Dear Elizabeth,_

_I want to say that I am sorry for lying to you about going to the ward. I should have said something to you, but I didn't know how to say it correctly. Please forgive me, dear. As I said to you earlier, do everything that the doctors, therapists, and nurses tell you to do. Try to be strong for me. I know you can do it. You'll always be my little girl. Rose and Emily will understand that you've gone somewhere else._

_Love always,_

_Mother"_

She put the card down. As she was doing so, she heard the rain begin to pelt the window. Outside it was nearly pitch black. A brilliant flash of lightning and tremendous crash of thunder startled the girl. Her heartbeat quickened. Storms always made her nervous, more so when she was in a strange place such as this.

Elizabeth decided to leave her room and go into the dayroom. There was a couch, a table and a set of chairs. Strangely enough, the dayroom seemed empty and deserted. At a table in the corner, a girl no more than eleven years of age sat coloring.

Elizabeth walked over to the girl.

"Hello!" Elizabeth said.

The girl turned to look at her.

"I'm coloring right now. I don't wish to be disturbed. Please leave me alone." She said.

"I just wanted to talk." Elizabeth replied.

"Please, just leave me alone. I'll talk later." The girl replied.

"Not now?" Elizabeth asked.

"No." She replied.

Elizabeth walked away dejected. Her pace quickened as she neared her room. She silently entered and went to her bed. She thrust herself onto it and nearly burst into tears.

The staff entered shortly thereafter.

"Did you wet yourself?" They asked.

She nodded yes.

Several minutes later, the staff left her to her devices. She was curious about that girl. She wanted to seek her out.

She ventured out of her room again.

This time the girl was sitting on the couch, reading.

She was nervous in her approach.

"Hello. My name is Elizabeth. What's your name?"

The girl didn't look at her.

She was dejected once again. This time she began to cry.

Her sobs began to attract attention.

Nurse McKie wandered over to Elizabeth.

"Why are you crying? Don't cry in the dayroom!" She hissed.

Elizabeth ran to her room.

"_Why does everyone have to hate me? I didn't mean to cry. I'm only a human being!"_ She thought to herself.

The tears kept streaming down her face.

She found Melanie, and clung to her. The doll was truly her security.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

When she awoke, it was close to dinner.

There was a murmur out in the dayroom. Elizabeth went to see what it was.

Outside, all of the adolescent patients congregated. Some sat in the chairs, others sat against the walls. In the middle of it all sat that same girl.

She heard one of the boys shout;

"Hey Nora, do you want to sit with us in the dining hall?"

To which the girl replied

"No. I hate boys."

They teased her a little bit. It seemed harmless because she was laughing with them.

Suddenly, a girl who was fifteen began pointing at Elizabeth.

"She wasn't here this morning. Who is she?"

She walked over to Elizabeth.

"What's your name? Tell me what it is." She said rudely.

"I'm Elizabeth Bukater. That's my name. I'm the only one here with that name." She replied.

The older girl shoved her aside.

"Watch where you're going, you baby."

She wanted to cry, but decided against it until later.

The older girl stared at Elizabeth.

She wasn't exactly the image of beauty, but it could be coaxed out with work. Her face was freckled. Her eyes were beady and small. Her nose was like a button. She, like Elizabeth came from a rich family, only it was apparent that her family didn't care in the least bit like hers.

Her clothing went out of style in 1909, at least Ruth would've said. She was still in training, as her waist wasn't really formed yet.

Her education was rudimentary. Whatever skills she did have, she used them for clandestine purposes.

This is Ethel Pettis, and she's the bully of the adolescent ward.

"_Rose had Millicent King to contend with. I have to deal with this sorry excuse of a girl."_ Elizabeth thought.

"What are you doing? I want those clothes." Ethel said with venom.

Elizabeth took no time at all to reply.

"You're not getting any of my dresses. You have your own, go wear them instead."

Ethel stormed off.

A nurse walked into the dayroom and made an announcement;

"All right boys and girls, it's time to go to the dining room to eat. Due to the remodeling that's been going on in our dining room, we'll have to eat in the dining room across the yard. Remember the rule that we don't engage in conversation with the people over there. They are deeply disturbed people and _anything_ can set them off. Thank you."

They all formed a crocodile. A Behavioral Health Worker led them to the door to go into the yard. The rain that had fallen earlier in the day was replaced by a gloomy fog. The walk seemed to take forever, but it was over faster than thought. Once inside the big building, it was as though they had crash landed on the moon. The crocodile wound around a corner and down a hall and finally down a flight of stairs.

The basement of the psychiatric portion of Taunton State Hospital was dingy. The lighting was dim and the light bulbs seemed to be much too large for the glass fixtures they were part of. Worst of all, the paint on the walls was this bluish-green color; "Institution, or Chromium Green" as it is called, made Elizabeth a tiny bit nauseous.

Once again, the lights dimmed; only it was more noticeable here in this building than over at the smaller one.

A scream was heard from somewhere in the basement.

This made quite a few of the DDS patients nervous.

"Don't pay any attention to the screaming. It could've been anything." The BHW said.

They entered the dining room. The long rows of tables made it look more military than a hospital.

One by one they were served. By looking at it, one would barely call it food. The roast beef looked almost black due to the poor lighting. The mashed potatoes looked even worse.

Elizabeth received her dinner and went to one of the tables.

She found that she was eating by herself. Ethel made it a point to alienate her from everybody else.

"That baby over there won't give me her clothes!"

She paid no mind to Ethel.

"_This food tastes disgusting. I wish I could be at home now with mama instead."_ She thought.

She barely managed to eat the rest of her meal. Desert was even worse.

After the meal, the crocodile was reformed and they left the big building. Once back in the small building they went to the dayroom.

Medication was handed out to those who really needed it. Some of the patients took anti-anxiety medication. Ethel Pettis was one such patient.

Someone bumped into Elizabeth.

It was the girl from earlier.

"Hello, I'm Nora O'Neill. I'm sorry I was mean to you earlier, but it was coloring time. I know your name is Elizabeth."

Finally, the girl would talk to her.

"When did you get here?" Nora asked.

"I arrived today. My room is over there." Elizabeth replied.

"Mine is next to yours. They keep all of the girls over there on that side. Whatever you do, don't go to the room at the end on the left. That's Ethel's room. Sometimes she comes out of her room in her underthings only. She's fifteen you know, so I guess all fifteen year olds do that." Nora said.

"I have twin sixteen year old sisters. I hardly ever see them though. They don't walk around in their corsets, well they do, but in their bedrooms only." Elizabeth replied.

"Maybe they don't like showing them in public?" Nora asked.

"My mother won't allow that." Elizabeth uttered.

The two retired to the table in the corner.

There were coloring sheets and crayons on the table.

Nora showed Elizabeth some of her coloring pages.

She liked them.

Nora handed some crayons to Elizabeth as well as a coloring page.

They began to color.

"I find that coloring helps me when I get too 'full' of everything." Nora said.

Elizabeth's picture was coming along nicely. Nora colored her picture of a dog orange.

A BHW meandered their way over to the table.

"I can see that you're both coloring. Nora, I think we may have to hang this one up on the wall. I like it. What kind of dog is it?" They asked.

"I think it's a golden retriever. My grandmother has a golden retriever. He's really nice, except when the cat scratches at him." Nora said.

"What's his name?" The BHW asked.

"His name is Beauregard. He was named after some person who is in America. My grandmother is from America. Some place called Georgia."

The BHW noticed Elizabeth, who was new to them.

"What is your name?" They asked.

"Elizabeth." She replied.

"Well, hello Elizabeth. Welcome to the facility."

"Will I have to go over to the big building? Do they hurt people here?" She asked with a little bit of fear.

"No. We're not part of what goes on over there. We're seeking out a new location due to the fact that some of our patients are very frightened of the people over there." The BHW said reassuringly.

"Is that why the doors have to be unlocked with special keys?" She asked the BHW.

"That's the main reason. We don't want those patients coming in here. You're very safe here." They replied.

"So, you're not going to hurt me. You're not going to be mean, was I worked up for nothing?" Elizabeth asked.

"You were just nervous. We can talk later. I have to make my rounds." The worker replied.

The two girls went back to coloring.

Suddenly, screaming was heard.

"Uh oh, that's Ethel. She's losing it." Nora said matter of factly.

"What do you mean by 'losing it'?" Elizabeth asked, curious about it all.

"She gets like this when she gets 'full' of everything. Dr. Leahy calls it a 'meltdown,' or so he says."

"Is it my fault?" Elizabeth asked nervously.

"No, but I think she's jealous of you because you have nicer clothes than she does. She also has the mentality of a nine year old, or so she says. I'm similar; they say that I'm 'little' too." Nora replied.

The BHW's called everyone into the center of the dayroom. They had the patients reform the crocodile that had previously gone to dinner.

"Tonight is movie night. As you know, we will be walking to the other side of the yard. It is raining very lightly outside. I do not know what it is they are showing, but I can guarantee that it might be funny." The BHW said.

Elizabeth was beginning to loosen up from her strict confines.


End file.
